


'Gold'

by TiredScienceBro



Series: Science Bros Week 2018 [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bruce flies Hulkbuster, Bruce having fun, Hulkbuster, M/M, POV Bruce Banner, Science Bros, Science Bros Week 2018, Test Flight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-17 04:40:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15453549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TiredScienceBro/pseuds/TiredScienceBro
Summary: "Okay, suit up!" Tony ordered moving to his own platform across the room so that Jarvis could assemble the Mark XLIII around him."What?" Bruce asked, pulled out of his own thoughts."Suit up," Tony repeated as his own pieces assembled around him. "It needs a test flight."





	'Gold'

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Science Bros Week 2018, 'Gold' prompt. I had a lot of fun writing this one! I think it's my favorite of all the prompts I've written this week. Enjoy!

Tony and Bruce walked awkwardly together as Tony attempted to keep Bruce's eyes covered with his hands as they entered the workshop. 

"Can't I just keep my own eyes closed?" Bruce asked as he almost tripped once again.

"Nope, you can't be trusted not to peek," Tony responded into his ear.

He had insisted on showing Bruce a surprise he had been working on and apparently that included walking him the entire way from the penthouse to the workshop with his hands obscuring Bruce's vision, even during the elevator ride. 

"Ta-da!" Tony exclaimed gleefully removing his hands from Bruce's face. 

Bruce looked ahead to see the gleaming red and gold armour of the Hulkbuster standing proudly in the middle of room. 

"You finished it!" Bruce exclaimed moving closer to inspect the gleaming suit closer. As he ran his hands over the surface of the armor he felt a sense of pride swelling inside him, tainted slightly by a deep seated sadness. They had been working on this project together for months now but its presence felt like an omen. 

The Hulkbuster only existed so that Tony would have a way to keep the Hulk in line, should things ever get out of Bruce’s control. It shouldn't have to exist and the fact that it did made Bruce feel sick to his stomach. It shouldn't have to come to this, Tony spending so much time and energy to develop a suit that was designed to prevent Hulk temper tantrums.

"Okay, suit up!" Tony ordered moving to his own platform across the room so that Jarvis could assemble the Mark XLIII around him.

"What?" Bruce asked, pulled out of his own thoughts.

"Suit up," Tony repeated as his own pieces assembled around him. "It needs a test flight."

"Isn't that your job?" Bruce asked raising an eyebrow.

"Nope, this one has your name on it."

"But I don't know the first thing about flying these."

"Relax Brucie, JARVIS and I will be with you the whole time."  
Without another word the balcony doors opened and Tony shot off through them into the afternoon sky. 

"Ready when you are, Doctor Banner," JARVIS chimed. As he spoke the cockpit of the Hulkbuster opened for Bruce to step up into.

Nervously, Bruce looked back towards where Tony had just left, but there was no sign of the Iron Man waiting nearby.

"JARVIS, I don't think this is such a good idea," Bruce started nervously. "I've never flown something like this. What if I crash! The Other Guy will-"

"Would you like to know what I think Doctor Banner?" JARVIS interrupted.

"Yeah," Bruce replied.

"I think that Mr Stark has the utmost confidence in you and that he wouldn't ask this of you if he didn't think you were up to it. Who knows Doctor, you might even enjoy it."

Bruce couldn't help but smile, JARVIS always knew what to say. "JARVIS," Bruce begun with a sigh, "promise you won't let me crash anywhere populated." 

"You have my word Doctor Banner."

Pulling himself up into the empty cockpit Bruce caught one last glimpse of the workshop before the armour snapped closed around him. The Heads up display lit up in front of him with all sorts of information. 

The thrust from below caught him off guard at first, Jarvis was in control of their take off and before long they had exited the tower and were ascending high above the city. Looking down at the sprawling skyline below Bruce suddenly felt a wave of panic, he had never been this high before in such an unstable capacity. 

JARVIS, detecting his spike in heart rate, spoke into his ear. "It is okay Doctor Banner, I am in complete control. Is there anything I can do to make this easier for you?"

"Water," Bruce managed to stammer out. "Move us over water, away from the city."

"Of course Doctor." Bruce felt their course change as the moved out towards the bay and over the ocean. 

He felt somewhat more relaxed as the city disappeared behind him, knowing that if he were to fall it wouldn't be into the busy streets of New York.  
"Having fun Brucie?" Tony's voice came in his ear and suddenly the HUD lit up with a display of Tony's face within his own suit. Tony had an expression of pure delight and exhilaration that Bruce had never seen before. Off to his side he could see the Iron Man effortlessly gliding through the air beside him. 

"Is that what you call this?" Bruce asked with a nervous laugh. 

"JARVIS," Tony ordered, "training wheels off. Time to give Bruce a feel of what this thing can really do."

"What!?" Bruce begun but before he could say anything he felt himself start to lose altitude. 

"C'mon Bruce, you designed it, you know how it works." Tony easily soared ahead of him, rolling through the sky without a moment's hesitation. His suit being smaller was much more agile than the Hulkbuster. Tony was flying backwards now, watching as the Hulkbuster slowly lost height but Bruce could see Tony's face in the HUD. It wasn't worried or scared, he had a smile on his face and was beaming at him. The way the sun gleamed off the red and gold armor was a truly beautiful sight to behold. Bruce was used to staring up at the Iron Man from the ground, he had never seen him in action this close before.

Bruce focused, remembering everything Tony had shown him about the operation of the suit. Applying pressure in his feet to the rear thrusters Bruce suddenly felt himself level out. He was wobbly at first but adjusting his hands he managed to find a stable position. It was then that it dawned on him, he was flying! He let out a laugh of excitement as he soared through the air, Tony at his side.

"How does it feel Bruce?" Tony asked. 

"Amazing!" Bruce called back, unable to hide his excitement. "Is this what it feels like to be you all the time?" 

Tony smiled longingly at Bruce as if he might cry. Bruce was worried that he might have said something to upset him but couldn't think what. Tony's expression was quickly replaced with his familiar grin and he returned to Bruce's side.

"C'mon, let me show you best part," Tony said.

Flying close Tony placed the Mark XLIII's hand on the Hulkbusters, then guiding both of them up they ascended together, higher and higher into the sky, climbing higher than was responsible. As the HUD lit up with warning signals, Bruce begun to worry about how high they were, the suits were not designed for this type of altitude. 

"Tony..." he began to query but was interrupted. 

"Almost there," Tony assured him, that cheeky grin visible on the HUD. "Bruce do you trust me?"

The Hulkbuster was starting to beep wildly in his ear now and warnings were flashing more and more vibrantly across his HUD. "The fact that you are asking me that _now_ doesn't fill me with confidence-"

"Answer the question Bruce, yes or no?"

"YES!" Bruce yelled over the warnings.

"CUT YOUR POWER!" Tony ordered and obeying without a moment's hesitation Bruce killed all his thrusters.

Bruce could see that Tony's suit had done the same. The world felt like it had gone into slow motion as the two of the hung in the air but after several weightless seconds gravity caught up on them and they both began to plummet back towards the earth. 

Bruce let out a scream at first. He could feel the Hulk stirring inside him, sensing a threat to their lives and ready to take control. 

But Bruce looked down at the HUD where Tony's face was displayed, his eyes were beaming in complete adrenaline fueled excitement and he had the biggest grin that Bruce had ever seen. This was him, the real Tony, hidden behind that mask where no one else ever saw him. This was all that really mattered to Tony, flying. Bruce had never felt anything like it in his life, the freedom, the exhilaration. This was Tony's escape, the one place he could go where no one could see him, the real him. Except him, Tony had chosen to share this with him, to let him into this private world that no one else had experienced.

As Bruce looked into that face, all feelings of the Hulk disappeared. He was vaguely aware of Tony's hand still resting on the the Hulkbusters even as the plummeted through the air, _together_

They continued to fall, the ocean coming closer and closer to them with every second and Bruce allowed himself to focus on the moment, forgetting about the danger associated with what they were doing secure in the knowledge that Tony was by his side. 

The surface of the ocean was close now and Bruce was sure what he was supposed to do next, Tony hadn't told him anything and a crash at this velocity would definitely result in a Hulk out. Closer and closer the ground rushed up to meet them and Tony's eyes changed from the wide eyed beam to a look of intense concentration.

"Uhh Tony?" Bruce stammered.

"Wait for my signal," Tony instructed, barely showing signs of breaking concentration.

They were so close now, their margin for error was growing larger and a single mistake at this point could be the end for both of them.

"Now!" Tony yelled and instinctively Bruce powered his thrusters, Tony doing the same, and the two suits shot away from the waves barely a few feet from a collision. He felt the force of the engines kicking in propelling him in a new direction causing a new wave of adrenaline surge through his body. He let out a laugh of delight and saw that Tony was doing the same. 

His heart was beating fast, but he had no fear of a Hulk out, this was him, all him, no fear or doubt just the exhilaration of sharing this moment with Tony. 

It wasn't much longer before they were returning to the Tower, the adrenaline of their flight still coursing through his body as he landed in the workshop. 

The armour opened and Bruce stumbled out, his legs feeling slightly uneasy on the solid ground beneath him still under the lingering effects of the weightlessness from the flight. Tony was standing in front of him an eyebrow raised and a smirk on his face. 

"So what do you think Doc? I think the left thruster needs some fine tuning but overall-"  
Bruce didn't let finish, instead he rushed forward and seized Tony's mouth in his own, pushing him up against the wall. 

"Or we could move the post flight diagnostics meeting up to the bedroom," Tony gasped as they broke apart for air.


End file.
